Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41777452›Full record

SynthesisNeural plasticity2025

Effects of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation With Rehabilitation on the Recovery of Upper Extremity Function After Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Hui-Lin Li, Yan-Bing Jia, Xiao-Yan Liu, Yu-Sen Wang, Ze-Kun Zhang, Kui-Cheng Li, Xi-Zhen Wang, Jia-Xin Pan, Hao Liu

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Neural plasticity, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Hui-Lin LiSchool of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China.ORCID 0009-0007-0415-5631
Yan-Bing JiaSchool of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China.ORCID 0000-0001-6695-4905
Xiao-Yan LiuSchool of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China.ORCID 0009-0006-0606-9043
Yu-Sen WangSchool of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China.ORCID 0009-0001-3197-1040
Ze-Kun ZhangSchool of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China.ORCID 0009-0000-9903-8946
Kui-Cheng LiSchool of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China.ORCID 0009-0000-0057-6024
Xi-Zhen WangSchool of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China.ORCID 0009-0007-8595-6245
Jia-Xin PanSchool of Nursing and Health Sciences, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong (SAR), China.ORCID 0009-0007-2367-7515
Hao LiuSchool of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China.ORCID 0000-0002-4854-7326

Funding

Joint TCM Science and Technology Projects of National Demonstration Zones for Comprehensive TCM Reform
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Upper limb motor dysfunction after stroke can significantly impede activities of daily living and quality of life. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a novel noninvasive treatment for stroke. Its combination with rehabilitation is a growing trend. Objective: To explore the effects of taVNS combined with rehabilitation on upper limb function poststroke. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, EBSCO, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched up to September 16 Results: Four studies with 129 participants were included. Compared to controls, augmented treatment with taVNS had preferable effect on improving upper limb motor function after stroke (all outcomes: standardized mean difference [SMD] = 1.28, 95% CI: 0.65-1.90, Conclusion: This meta-analysis showed augmented effect of taVNS on rehabilitation therapy in paretic upper limb motor function poststroke, especially combined with conventional rehabilitation. However, the high heterogeneity of aggregated results indicates more rigorously designed studies are needed.

Indexed as

Recovery of FunctionStrokeStroke RehabilitationTranscutaneous Electric Nerve StimulationUpper ExtremityVagus Nerve StimulationHumansmeta-analysisstrokesystematic reviewtranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulationupper limb motor function

Identifiers

PMID41777452
PMCPMC12952199

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.